MIDDLE EAST (Washington Insider Magazine) – In apparent retaliation for the Houthi drone attack on the UAE in mid-January, Saudi Arabian forces, who are strong UAE allies, carried out deadly airstrikes in the Houthi stronghold of Saada, killing dozens of people at a detention center.
This action on the part of the Saudis was in strong support of the UAE, with which it had formed a coalition to shore up the government in Yemen when the Houthi movement began to rebel against the Yemenis in 2004.
The Houthis began as a religious movement in the early 1990s advocating for peace. Originally the movement seemed to have a very open-minded vision for culture and education. The Shia rebels (Houthis) started becoming militant in the summer of 2004 claiming self-defense when the first war with the government erupted and was followed by prolonged intermittent war.
In 2011, the Houthis were among many citizens that participated in the overthrow of the then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. In 2013, the next Yemeni president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, took a more open position with the Houthis, who eventually came to occupy 35 seats in Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference.
In 2014, thousands of Houthi supporters demonstrated in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa demanding more representation in the government, requesting additional previously cut fuel subsidies be reinstated, and that the current regime step down. They threatened “other measures” if the government refused to respond to their ultimatum. The Yemeni president
called for a “unity government” which resulted in both sides signing an agreement to work for peace, but the Houthis did not comply with the conditions which had been agreed to. The Houthis continued their opposition to the established regime.
In March of 2015, in an effort to shore up the beleaguered Yemeni government, a Saudi-led coalition began to intervene in the situation with airstrikes aimed at Houthi held territories. The UAE was initially involved and supportive of those actions. The UAE has continued to support the Saudis while at the same time working to make diplomatic inroads with other countries in the region, including Iran, which has been accused of providing arms to the Houthis.
President Biden’s removal of the Houthi group from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) watch list may have emboldened them to aggressively attack the UAE for its continued support of the traditional Yemeni government. Only time will truly tell as we watch this unfold on the global stage.
In light of the recent airstrike, President Biden is considering reversing his decision and returning them to the list, which former President Trump had initiated last year. This may prove to be effective, or it could be viewed as instigation by the opposing forces. There is some debate regarding which path Biden will take, but he has committed to sending US military support, including fighter jets and the warship, USS Cole.
The Cole will work with the UAE Navy to provide early warning capabilities and provide air defense against future drone and missile attacks. The US hopes the military aid will signal its long-standing alliance with Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates.
